Geneva motor show 2010: Rinspeed UC?

Concept car specialist Rinspeed has shown off its UC? electric car at the Geneva motor show.

It measures 2.5 metres in length, has a top speeed of 68mph and a range of 75 miles, and has been designed to fit in a rail carriage so it can be transported from city to city. UC? takes its name from both Urban Commuter and the phrase "You See?".

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[quote Autocar]"It’s a new and highly emotional web-based car that interweaves individual and public transport in an intelligent way," said Rinspeed boss Frank Rinderknecht. [/quote]Where do they get this stuff?

[quote Autocar]and has been designed to fit in a rail carriage so it can be transported from city to city.[/quote]

What on earth would be the point in putting your car & yourself on a train, going to another city, then taking your car off again to use it in that city? By the time youve fannied about booking in, loading your car onto the train, securing it etc, then got a train journey & gone through the same rigmarole unloading it at the other end, you could have driven to the other city, done whatever you went there for & driven home again!!!

But I dread to imagine how much the rail companies would rip us off to do this. This car could have been a key factor in John Prescott's much prattled about, but conveniently forgotten, "Fully Integrated Transport Policy". Can't see it happening because I can't imagine anyone committing themselves to the substantial investment required, least of all any government in the cash-strapped future.

Fiat 500 front, and switch gear, from the side it has the profile of the Four-two. What conceptual about this? rip off Fiat with a bit of leather cladding and some marketing Boll-cks form some small time boss. How desperate are Rinspeed?

If your going to come up with a concept car surely the ethos is to create something new and exciting that will showcase future design and technology trends instead of do what this car has done and showcase what's already available form most other manufacturers.

I really can't believe they have wasted our time with this let alone there time

Wouldn't it make more sense to simplify this and have pool cars?It’s really quite stupid you drive to your departure station and leave your car with hundreds more if you can find a space. Then when you arrive at your destination and need a car for a short trip there is a car park full of cars you can’t use.

It seems silly to transport cars all over the country when there is perfectly good cars not in use at your destination.I think the pool car schemes offer a potential solution but haven’t covered all the bases yet.